The fight against coronavirus received a major boost after non-bank financial services providers, Sanlam Kenya PLC and Sanlam Investments East Africa extended a corporate donation to the Emergency Response Fund.
Sanlam Kenya, the Nairobi Securities Exchange-listed firm and Sanlam Investments East Africa aided the fight against the pandemic by mobilising Sh8 million.
Sanlam Kenya Group Chief Executive Officer Dr Patrick Tumbo, said the firms are highly conscious of the fact that the prevailing situation is totally unprecedented.
Tumbo said the country has found itself needing to deal with large-scale health and social behaviour change intervention.
“We recognize that there are people with urgent medical needs following circumstances precipitated by rising positive Covid-19 cases, the need to comply with the inter-county travel restriction, national curfew and practice social distancing, among other personal hygiene protocols,” said Tumbo.
Tumbo noted that during this critical period, it was important to take care of each other to ensure the health and safety of families, friends, colleagues and communities.
He said Sanlam and its Kenyan entities (Sanlam Life, Sanlam General, Sanlam Investments East Africa and Saham Kenya) are keen to support the government’s efforts in the supply of medical facilities and equipment and support for vulnerable communities with their immediate needs, including food.
Sanlam Investments East Africa CEO Jonathan Stichbury said the commitment was aligned to the Sanlam Group’s corporate social responsibility pillars which are structured to raise the wider community’s quality of life.
Stichbury said that the firms’ have reached out to the Kenya Covid-19 Emergency Response Fund chaired by Jane Karuku, to present the funds.
“We believe that rapid and effective implementation of the health relief funding will aid in the much-desired behaviour change as people stay at home, wear personal protective equipment and maintain social distancing while practising higher standards of hygiene across the board,” said Stichbury.
He pointed out that it was important to ensure public awareness and compliance is heightened.
In the meantime, the companies have activated socially responsible operating protocols, including establishing new working arrangements and where appropriate, only retaining skeleton staff at branches which remain open with shorter working hours.
